Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a post-processing apparatus for binding a sheet bundle formed of a plurality of sheets and an image forming system including the post-processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an optional device of an image forming apparatus, a sheet processing apparatus which receives sheets delivered from the image forming apparatus and performs stapling post processing on the sheet bundle received (post-processing apparatus) is commonly used. Further, some of the sheet processing apparatuses of this kind include functions such as an online stapling function, which is automatically executed as a part of a print job, and a manual stapling function, through which a user manually inserts a sheet bundle into an opening which is open outside the apparatus and performs stapling processing on the sheet bundle. In such a sheet processing apparatus, in addition to the online stapling function, it is required to have the manual stapling function as an additional function and to reduce cost needed to manufacture the sheet processing apparatus body.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-018932 discloses a sheet post-processing apparatus, in which a stapler device is movable to a first position where online stapling processing is executed and to a second position where manual stapling processing is executed. Thereby, one stapler device, which is expensive, can be commonly used both in an online stapling function and in a manual stapling function. This enables to reduce manufacturing cost of the sheet processing apparatus body and provide an additional value to a user.
For example, suppose one stapler device is used both as the online stapling function and the manual stapling function. In this case, while the stapler device stays at a position where the manual stapling is executed (for example, the second position as above), it is not possible to execute the online stapling. Further, there may be a case where, though the stapler device stays at a position where the manual stapling processing is executed, a sheet bundle is not inserted into a stapler even after a lapse of predetermined period (timeout period). In this case, it is generally known to control to move the stapler device automatically at a position where the online stapling processing is executed (for example, the first position as above) after a lapse of the timeout period to make the stapler device stand by in that state.
On the other hand, it sometimes takes time to automatically move the stapler device, from a state after the manual staple is used by a user, to a position where the online stapling is to be performed. In addition, the user wishing to use the online stapling has to waste time until the stapler device moves to the position. The longer it takes time to move, the more uselessly the user has to wait, which is a problem. It means that the length of the timeout period which is previously set closely relates to the user's usability and convenience.
The main object of the present disclosure is to provide a post-processing apparatus which can respectively balance the convenience of the user using the manual staple and the convenience of the user using the online staple. Further, an image-forming apparatus including the post-processing apparatus is provided.